Without You
by Dante40k
Summary: Sally is in morning over the loss of sonic, but what will happen when the empty feeling leads to madness, how far will she go to be with the one she loves. Please read and review it doesn't take long
1. longing

Authors Notes: Hi its Dante 40K and I'm rewritting my first fanfiction. I know I've been redoing all my work and havn't really made any new stories or new ch. to current projects but I have my reason's. I was very dissatisfied with how I wrote this story and wanted more drama. Also I said that all my stories fell into one timeline but there were differences and breaks from one story to another.

Another reason I wanted to reprint Without You is because I think a new "Generation"( very cheezy) of Sonic fiction writers and readers are here. and you guys don't get to read some of the stories that were written when I started to go here I have a list of some of my favorites in my profile so please check them out.

This story deals with Sally's emptiness after Sonic must sacrifice himself to save the planet. It goes all the way from the lowest feeling's you can feel all the way to self redemption. I hope the new readers will enjoy my story and the people who have already read the wtered down predecessor will think this new edition is much better. Without further babble on with the show.

* * *

**Without You  
Episode 1: Longing**

'It's not fair.'

'Why did he have to die?'

'I can't believe I'll never see my sonic again. And it's all my fault.'

These were the questions that pounded through Princess Sally's head as she sat alone by the ring pool.  
**Sniff** She could hardly believe it had already been two weeks since her love had been ripped away from her,  
and already people were going on with their normal lives. Hadn't anyone ever heard of mourning?

The events of that faithful day were still fresh in the princess' mind as she went over them for what seemed like the thousandth time.

**…**

**2 weeks ago**

It had been a very happy morning. Sonic and Sally were lounging by the ring pool just talking. Sonic was gloating about his victory over Robotnik at the doomsday sit not more than three months earlier and Sally was happily listening (correcting him when he over exaderated the details). Times had been good for the residents of Knothole since Robotnik's disappearance and Sally was sure that she and Sonic would finally be able to peruse a real relationship now that they had won their war.

Just as Sonic was about to finish his story a large black shadow rolled across the landscape and the sky grew darker. Sally looked up and was shocked to see a ship so massive that it was almost blocking out the sky. It wasn't that far up so Sally got a good look at its purplish exterior. The hull was shaped like no other aircraft, like solid ooze that roughly formed a ship. It was daunting to look at in all its complexity and mystery. Before long the freedom fighters had gathered at Castle Acorn which was still being erected. Now that the king was back he needed a palace to rule in. The castle was still only a shell in most places but it had a working War Room to replace the old hut that had outlived its use. The new one was twice the size and full of electronics of every kind, while most of Knothole preferred not to use machinery they came in handy in the castle. Alerts from all over Mobius said similar ships had popped up near every major region; Mercrecia, Downwanda, Knothole, and the largest ship was positioned over the great frozen lands of the north.

Of the people who had come to the meeting which consisted of the core freedom fighters, the royal family, Knuckles Guardian of the Master Emerald, his father Locke, and a few high up members of the royal guard King Max was the first to try and maintain order in the noisy room.

"People, people please settle down. We mustn't lose our heads. We have no idea what those ships are for or who sent them."

"Isn't it obvious!" shouted Sonic.

"Butnik is back and he's on the war path. If the reports are true than he's taken a world tour of destruction. We have to act now and take the fight to him." He added

"Now Sonic please remain calm," said Locke who was by far the wisest of the group. "It is most likely that Julian is responsible for these ships but we mustn't jump to conclusions. The craft look nothing like something he would have had a hand in building. In addition he would have needed a base of operations to plan, build, and launch them. Mobotropolis and every other big city have been searched high and low, some of them by you personally, and nothing turned up. Until he makes demands and takes credit for this invasion we can't assume it's him."

"Well put Locke, but that still leaves us in the dark about who it could be that perpetrated this world wide assault on Mobius," agreed the King

"Technically your majesty it isn't an assault yet. They haven't attacked," said Rotor

The banter didn't make much more progress as everyone had their input to add and nothing seemed like a real solid plan until a sudden hush fell over the room as if no one could find their voice all at the same time. Everyone just stared at each other and gasped at their inability to speak. As the silence continued to drone on a low humming was beginning to surface. The weird thing was that it wasn't the Mobian's ears that picked up the dull sound but their thoughts. The humming continued to grow louder and louder until it was unmistakable that something important was happening.

"Humans of Earth," said a strong commanding voice that seemed to replace the humming, "We the Zorda have returned to your pathetic planet after a melenia af traveling the stars in ignorant bliss that our purge of this system had failed. You'r species seem's quite capable of surviving under incalculable odds and for that we commend you. That said we must finish what we started a thousand of your years ago." Then the voice was gone as mysteriously as it had come taking the low humming sound with it.

"Oh my stars what was all that about?" panniced Bunny.

"It probably came from whatever is on those ships. They really are here to attack," said Sally

"Sonic looked around the room like everyone in it had missed a key point of the voice's message. "But they got the wrong planet, They are looking for a place called err-f not Mobius," he said.

"Now wait just a second young one," said Locke as he tried to chose his words very carefully. "What if they are not mistaken? What if Err-f and Mobius are one and the same only from different time periods?"

WHAT! Exclaimed just about everyone in the room

"Enchidnas have an anchient legend that tales of the dominant species on mobius before us known as humans. They were far more advanced to the point of interstellar space travel and were the ancestors of the overlanders. The tale goes that they suddenly disappeared over a thousand years ago and the first enchidna culture used their technology to advance into their utopian state. I know that your culture also has a similar fable about your immergance on this planet."

"Yes the days of furry depict a caticlismic event that layed the planet to waste. Then the planet saved itself by starting anew and we were the species chosen to lead its lesser beings. That was when the first mobian walked the face of our planet," said King Max "What if these aliens are right like Locke believes and they are the ones who wiped our fair Mobius clean a thousand years ago."

"It still means they are barkin up the worng tree. Even if this is all true the humans are long gone and someone needs to get that point across to those weird voices," said Sonic getting more and more impatient.

**…**

**present**

The sound of footsteps quietly approaching snapped her out of her cry. She knew who it was,  
Bunny never could keep to quiet because the weight of her metal limbs was too much to really tiptoe around. Bunny had once had big lumbering limbs that would giver her away from a hundred paces away but now with her new sleek replacements she was able to move around with a little more stealth, but not enough to sneak up on someone. Wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her paw Sally turned around and saw Bunny Rabbot walking up besides her princess. The half rabbit, half robot cyborg sat down next to Sally saying nothing.  
Just looking into the clear blue water for a moment. By now the sun had begun to set behind the horizon; painting the skyline dark red

"Hey Hun, how you holden up?"

Holding back her pain Sally tried to answer the best she could "I'm Fine Bunny,"

"Now come on, we all miss him but I know you must e hurtin the hardest." Bunny always could keep a warm tone when speaking with someone who needed to be comforted. Sally knew it wasn't fair that she couldn't have children.

"No really, I'm fine,"

"Shugr-

"God Dam it Bunny! There had to be another way. I should have been with him when he needed me most. I condemned him without even trying to look for a better way," Sally screamed

**…**

**2 weeks ago**

After a few hours of study and tinkering around with many of Robotniks old gadgets that were stored in Rotor and Tails' workshop the pair of super geius' came up with a device capable of reversing the Zordas telepathy back at them. Sally had tried reasoning with them but they insisted that the Mobians' genetic material was too similar to the humans to be wrong. Soon the starships began to drop armies all over the planet as they prepared to destroy the inhabitants of Earth once and for all.

A plan was quickly put into motion to stop the invaders. Mobian armies were assembled wherever the Zorda's robotic shells dropped down. The largest of the fighting forces was sent to the frozen plains of the north to combat the army of the mother ship. All the freedom fighters from around Mobius reunited to fight together again in hopes that their efforts would stop the Zorda from leaving this frozen land and reaching their homes. Even those who were considered enemy's prepared to fight side by side.

Sixty-seven of Mobius' greatest fighters stared across the tundra at the legion of protective exoskeletons that encased the soft sqishy aliens bent on eradicating them.

"Sally," sonic said to his princess in between shivers. "It's reallllly cold out here."

A smile faintly appeared across the land squirell's face in marvel at how even in the face of such adversity Sonic was so confident of victory that he could complain about the cold. He had always impressed her and she had fallen for him a long time ago. She always had to keep on a cool and confident demeanor to show leadership but secretly she wished she could be like the blue hedgehog. He had never once doubted that Robotnik would be one day defeated, and now he was ready to do anything to push pack the Zorda. He truly was fearless.

"Sonic, There is something I want you to know. If we don't make it I would be crushed if I never told you that…"

"Sally its okay, whatever it is you can tell me after this little fight. We're not goin anywhere. Look they're starting to move," Sonic said with a fading smile.

The two sides clashed head on, everyone getting their share of alien ass to kick. Bunny was in prime fighting form and Antoine was there for her whenever she was about to be ambushed. Sally had never seen him fight without hesitation before and realized that love could do that to an animal. She looked over the battle field when she had a chance to take a breather and saw Sonic racing and fighting more than anyone else. Everyone around him seemed to be inspired to greater feats of heroism and skill just by catching a glimpse of him in action. Just by seeing him fight she even felt the fight was theirs.

The tides were defiantly in the Mobian's favor. Carcasses of broken robots littered the ground and the morale was good. Then as Sally was about to land one of her most powerful spinning kicks onto the dome cap of her enemies shell it just collapsed. Sally tumbled down since she had no more target to strike and fell face first into the snow.

"What was that?" she wondered as she gazed upon the robot that had been standing over six feet tall just a minuet ago. She realized that she was not alone in her disbelief as all the other droids just seemed to collapse as well.

"Did they pull back? have we won?" someone shouted

Then the low humming began to surface again and just like last time a deep voice that could only be heard in their minds was picked up by every mobian on the planet.

"You still persist. Have you no idea of the trouble your people will cause. We had no desire to destroy this once beautiful planet but it is obvious now that you are like a parasite feeding off of it. As long as this section of the galaxy still functions you will most likely resurface and we are not ready to tolerate that."

Then an enormous structure seemed to fall from the sky and tough down about two miles away from the tired mobians without so much a vibration under the furries feet. The structure was massive to say the least. It made the largest building in Robotropolis pale in comparison. Its triangular shape and golden exterior made it quite a sight to behold by those who were still conscious after the battle in the north.

"We have sent our most powerful weapon the deal with you. The Quantum Dial will obliterate this planet along with every other one in this solar system once it's countdown is compleate. You have fought well but this is goodbye." Said the voice; and just like that the ships were gone.

"Rotor! Where are you!" Sally shouted in search of her tech genious.

"I'm right over here!" he replied. He had retreated to his computer terminal as soon as the robots began to drop. He had already begun to scan the dial for information on how it works. Sally rushed over as fast as she could but was quickly picked up by Sonic who carried her over to Rotor in a heartbeat.

"What have you got for me?" she asked.

"Not much Sal, but I do know that there are some big gears in there and they seem to be winding down. I say by the rate of their movement we have about four minuits until the last one begins to power up the machine. Then who knows what will happen."

"Is there anything we can do to stop it. Can we send out a distress beacon to Staiton Square, request some missles or something?"

"No, our comm. Link with them was destroyed in the battle and even if I had the time to fix it the missles would take atleast three minuits to get here. I don't see a way of stopping this thing." Said Rotor dejectedly.

"What about a frontal assult?"

"The wall are about thirty feet thick"

Durring their conversation Sonic had been in quiet contemplation while staring at the Quantum Dial. Trying to figure out what something important about what Rotor had said.

"Rote. You say the gears are winding down?"

"Yhea."

"All in the same direction?"

"Again, yes. Wait your not thinking of… but that is suicide!" gasped Rotor

"It's the only way. I have to do this."

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?" screamed Sally "First its hopeless now you guys are formulating a plan without even including me. I hate being out of the loop. Shat is suicide?"

"Sonic thinks that he could reverse the blast direction to cause an implosion instead of and explosion. The blast radius would most likely be cut down from the solor system to about one hundred yards. But to achive this affect he would have to be much closer to the Dial. He would be lost."

"Well no then. You cant. We still have three more minuits at the least. We can get that air strike. Sonic you can't," pleaded Sally as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"No, even if they got here in time they might not even stop it. This is the only way."

"But you'll die,"

"If I don't do this then everyone will. Its Okay, I've been training all my life for this run I'm ready." said Sonic.

"But I need you here. I still haven't told you that I…"

Sonic cut her off with a soft kiss. Sally's pleading and worring just melted away. Being held by the one person she thought she could ever love in this perfect moment. Why did he have to go. Sally would have given anything to switch roles with him at this moment. But Sonic was always going to be the hero. That was one of the reasons Sally loved him so much

"It's Okay" said Sonic when he broke the kiss.

The cobalt blue hedgehog then turned around and drew in a big breath. He dashed off as fast as he could toward the Dial and never looked back. He ran faster and faster until he reached the wepon and then he ran faster still. He circled it over and over again creating a swirling vortex. His heart was beating hard and his muscles ached all over. He had been fighting his whole life, saving those in need and this time it was no different. Every time he left knothole he had been prepared to never comeback and now he really wasn't. With only three seconds to go he reached a level of power and speed he had never gotten to before without the help of the chaos emeralds. His blue color melted away and was replaced by a glowing gold aura. He shut his eyes in anticipation of the blast.

Then he opened his eyes and the green jewels they had been were replaced by firey red orbs. Super Sonic was creating a tornado coloumn like no one on the planet Mobius had ever seen before. It was so large you could have seen it from space. A bright light engulfed the hero. There was no loud boom; no earth shattering explosion. The only trace that there had ever been a Quantum Dial was the perfect crater cut into the crust of Mobius and of course the memories of those who were there and had lost someone dear to them.

**…**

**present**

"Now you know that's not true." Bunny protested as she looked into the chestnut eyes of her princess.

"You did all you could. I know your goin a beat yourself up and down about this, but sooner or later ya'll realize that his decision was the only way that everyone else could go on living. Sonic knew that and so do you, and even though he's gone he'll always live on in the memory of the many people he saved."

Despite bunny's attempts a look of despair was still etched on Sally's face. "I miss him so much that I feel like this pain will never go away-"

"And it won't you can only dull the pain by moving on…you know, the funeral is coming up in a couple a days. It's only right that you be there and says something. I don't know, maybe you could find some closure"

Sally just continued to stare blankly at the water. She wasn't really paying attention now.

"Well its late, why don't you head on off to bed. I don't think you've left this spot all day," said Bunny realizing that she wasn't making any progress anymore.

"Do you know where we are?"

"Of course I do. This is where you and shuger hog spent most of your time, waiting for power rings and planin missions to kick ol' butnicks rear."

A smile spread across Sally's face for the first time in days as she remembered all the times she had shared with all her friends here before. "You're right Bunny; I'll head back in a minuet. You should go as well,"

Bunny got up and headed for home as Sally just continued to stare into the deep blue water of the pool. Sally didn't really have any intention of moving but she knew Bunny would believe her if she told her she was.

Bunny had walked back to her hut and looked out her window at the ring pool and saw Sally still just sitting there. Bunny didn't know what to do, Sally was obviously still traped deep in her own thoughts and Bunny just wasn't good at helping people with this kind of thing. Who really was? All she could do was to pry that her princess would return to her old self soon. She missed Sally and with Sonic gone she was afraid everything they had achieved would unravel quickly.

"Good night Sally, and come home soon"

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AN: Well thee you go, the first chapter in my story. please let me know what you think because I always like to recieve constructive criticizm.


	2. insanity

**Authors Notes:**

**Sally: **finally he is keeping his promise to me and continuing his story, which in my humble opinion rocks!

**Dante 40K: **Sally will you stop tooting your own horn. the only reason you think this is good is because you are the main charecter.

**Sally: **So

**Dante 40K: **Do you even remember what happens to you in this story.

**Sally:** No

**Dante 40K: **Dark grin hehehehe you'll see.

**Well I have been working diligently to redo this story and I hope it gets more recognition this time around. I have been composing that one shot I told you about and I'm going to put in first person because I haven't really had a lot of practice with that style. I hope you all like this chapter it is a focal point of the story arc and I really wanted it to come off well.

* * *

**

**Without You  
Episode 2 Insanity  
**

Darkness was all Sally could see, and she heard nothing except the steady beating of her heart and the slow breaths she took in. She remembered talking to Bunny, and after her friend tried to make her feel better she agreed to go to bed, but that was all she remembered. After that all she could remember was the black heavens that enveloped her like a coat.

"Where am I?" Sally wondered as she floated amongst the stars, lost in the empty darkness of Space. How did she get here and where was here exactly? She was getting really cold and the shivering princess felt like she had been suspended in the dark for hours. She tried moving her arm and to her surprise she was able to move as if she were in water. She swam around slowly not wanting to get too far away from the spot she had awoken at.

After a while it dawned on her that there were no distinguishable landmarks in space and the idea that she could find her way back melted away. She started to panic. She darted around screaming for anyone to hear her.

"Hello!" she shouted "Is anyone out there,"

The deep cold of space was really starting to get to her. Fall had just begun to come around the corner when Sally was back on Mobius and she didn't have her winter coat yet. She rubbed her arms to keep warm as she curled up into a chestnut brown ball and just continued to float, completely alone.

"Where am I," she squeaked.

The need to cry was so great that a tear welled up in her eye and fell down her cheek. The orb floated in space for a second before it turned into a beautiful clear blue ice gem. It gleamed in the darkness and seemed to emanate a warm sort of glow. Sally reached out from her ball to touch it but she was hesitant. With her hand just centimeters away from her gem she questioned the need to touch the perfect blue orb. What if she were to tarnish its beauty? It looked as if the slightest impact would shatter the gem and Sally didn't want to destroy the only thing within a thousand light years.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and grab it." Said a disembodied voice.

Sally quickly pulled her hand away. He could have sworn she heard a voice but couldn't see where it came from. The voice hadn't really been heard, but rather felt in her head much like the Zorda had done before. When Sally looked around trying to find the ships that the alien invaders had brought to Mobius she found nothing but the crystal around her.

"How was this happening," Sally thought. First she was lost in deep space and now she was hearing voices. She knew she had heard the voice before before. It belonged to the one person she never thought she would see again, it was impossible to be hearing him here. She continued to look around but her eyes kept falling on the blue crystal. By this point she was convinced that Sonic was trying to tell her something and he wanted her to touch it. She nervously reached out to cup her hands around the gem and brought it close to her chest.

She looked upon the tear that was now pulsing a regal blue light from its glassy core. The light kept getting brighter and hotter until Sally couldn't take it anymore. She tossed it away and it resumed its suspended position in space. The darkness around the gem began to grow white until it was fizzled out of existence and out from the brilliant white hole left in space stepped a cobalt blue hedgehog. Sonic was holding the Icy gem and looking at it as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

"Sonic! Is that really you"? Sally asked timidly, as if she was afraid of what the answer might be.

Hearing her voice brought the hedgehog figure out of his trance and he looked straight into the brown eyes of his best friend.

"Course it's me -" he said with a comical grin on his face. "What other blue hedgehog is this good looking"?

"But how? You died."

"You ok Sal? How could I be dead if I'm right here in front of you?" Sonic asked

It was true. He was right there, and she could just reach out and touch his soft blue fur if she really wanted too. She held back her hand, to scarred of what would happen if she tried to touch him and couldn't, if he really was just a vision of her close friend.

"I…I…I don't know. W…Where have you been? Up here'" she stammered

"Well Duh. Look at this place. Couldn't you just float here forever? No war, no problems. And besides could a ghost do this"?

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her right up to his chest. Shocked at first she was surprised just how solid he was. Sally returned the embrace and laid her head on his shoulder. She could feel the heat radiating off his body. This just had to be real.

"I thought I had lost you," she said as she looked into his emerald green eyes. He lowered his face to within an inch of hers and he reassured her. "No… you haven't, but you have to wake up now."

"What!" she said as she pulled away and grabbed onto his hands so he wouldn't leave her and she wouldn't be alone

"You have to wake up," Sonic told her and everything went black

**AHHHHHHHHHHH…** Sally gasped as her eyes shot open and she jumped off the cold grassy bank of the ring pool, sweat all over her body and breathing hard.

**Huff Huff **"I must have dozed off," Sally thought as she wiped the sweat off with her paw. The sun had set behind the tree line of the Great Forest and the stars were shining like pinpricks of light in the dark night sky. She looked off toward the village of Knothole and saw that all but a few of the lights were out and most of the small town was asleep.

"What was that? Was it just a dream, it felt so real," Sally thought to herself. She looked up to the sky and knew that it had to have been just a dream.

"Where are you Sonic," she thought

She headed back to Knothole with her head hung low, deeply missing her blue hero. Everything reminded her of him, every shadow, and every sound. She stared at the ground so she couldn't be hurt with the thought of being alone. When she got to her hut she quietly undressed and slipped into her soft bed. Her eyelids weighed a ton and begged to be let down. Just before she fell asleep she saw a faint silhouette of the same blue hedgehog she had just traveled around the cosmos with.

Birds chirped and flew over the ancient oaks and ferns of the Great Forest as the sun rose over Knothole and the rustic village came to life. Everyone was busy setting up breakfast and preparing for the funeral that would take place later on in the day.

Antoine Décolleté was running around the kitchens in a constant frenzy trying desperately not to burn or spoil the many dishes and foodstuffs that he, Rosie, and many others were preparing for the next day. Bunny and Rotor were setting up the village for the funeral and Tails was still just sitting outside his hut. Much like Sally, Tails was heartbroken over the loss of his hero and older brother.

Sally had barely been able to sleep since the strange dream she had been a part of but sleep had eventually taken over and she was now curled up in her bed. When the sun's rays hit her she stretched and yawned as she woke up. Something stirred in her hut that caused her to look across the room to her wall and see Sonics shadow, just like the night before. She jerked her head around just in time to see a dark figure leaving the frame of her window.

"Wait" she yelled as she leaped out of bed. The startled ground squirrel quickly threw on her blue vest and ran out the door, stumbling on the sill as she tried to pull on her matching boots. Sally struggled to pull herself up and continued to chase the elusive hedgehog.

Sonic broke out into a steady jog, but it was enough to stay out of Sally's grasp. She ran after him shouting. "Sonic where are you going? Come back!"

"Aunt Sally what are you doing," Tails called after her as she sped by him. Sally didn't hear the fox cub because she was too absorbed in catching Sonic. Confused; Tails shrugged it off and went back to his thoughts. To him, why his Aunt Sally wouldn't even stop to say hi was just another thing that no longer made any sense in his fragile little world.

Sally continued to chase Sonic, who stayed just a few steps ahead of her, far beyond the borders of Knothole village until without warning she tripped and fell into a large hole in the ground. Hitting the bottom of the six foot deep hole she groaned in pain and rolled over to see the sky above her.

Sonic popped his head over the edge of the hole with the same stupid grin on his face he always had

"What are ya doing down there Sal?"

"**AUGGGHHH**… I don't know. What is this," Sally gasped harshly trying to catch her breath

Then Bunny and Rotor also appeared over the edge of the hole on ether side of Sonic

"Sally girl, you okay?"

"Yeah you took a nasty fall," they said with very concerned voices.

Sally just stared at the two blankly wondering why they weren't paying Sonic any attention. Was it possible that they couldn't see him? 'Look he's making faces at them" she thought to herself as Sonic began teasing the two worried mobians.

Growing tired of laughing at Rotor and Bunny Sonic reached down and offered a hand to Sally and pulled her up. With her free hand she grabbed the lip of the hole and saw a simple headstone with one word on it.

**SONIC**

Sally looked at the person helping her up in utter terror.

"Humph, I guess the hole is for me"

**AAHHHHHHHH, **Sally screamed in terror as she slipped out of the ghosts hand and fell once again to the bottom of the grave. She hit the floor hard but it didn't hurt as she blacked out.

When she came to Sally was floating amongst the stars. She was back in space, the place she had been just the night before and her nerves settled down. Looking at the heavens was breathtaking now that she knew there was no danger and that she would be reunited with her love soon.

The all too familiar sound of a sonic boom disrupted the peaceful tranquility of the stars, and there was Sonic. He was running in circles like he didn't have a care in the world. He was always like that and it was no surprise to Sally that even up here he would still be the same child he had been back on Mobius. Sally wanted to say something but decided that just watching would suffice for now. Sonic was running around a constellation that Sally didn't recognize from Nicole's data screen and Sally thought that was odd since she had spent hours looking over everything she could on Nicole when she was younger.

"Sal your back! What's up?" said Sonic when he got board of the constellation and noticed the princess.

"Nothing Sonic. But I have some things I need to know. Why am I here? Why am I seeing you and this morning? Why wouldn't you stop for me?" she rambled

"Sal there's no time for that. Come here, I have something to show you."

As Sally floated closer Sonic held out his hand and closed his eyes, concentrating intently on something very important. A small red sphere of light appeared in his palm. It looked a lot like the blue gem she had cries last night and it shone like a pinprick of red light in Sonic's hand. Then the ball exploded into a rainbow of color showering the two friends in sparkles and all kinds of different light. The core of the spectacle began to rotate and started sucking in all the darkness around it adding to its radiance. It kept growing until Sally could feel the heat and energy it gave off pressing down to her soul. There are no words to describe haw perfect it was except that it was the most beautiful thing Sally had seen

"It's Beautiful Sonic."

"It's the birth of a star. Every time you come here it's like I get to see it all over again." Sonic told her

"Oh Sonic I want to stay here with you forever."

"I'm sorry Sal, but you can't

**Sniff** "Why not?" Sally asked sadly

"Because it's time to go back it's time to wake up."

"No I don't want to go," Sally screamed. But it was to late the cosmos were gone and all that was left was her dark hut. She sat up in her bed and her head began to throb. She felt around and noticed that she was wearing bandages on her head from the fall she had suffered earlier. The rest of her body was sore but not enough to keep her from moving. She got out of bed and looked out her window it was well into the night now. Sally could see the stars and feel the cool night air coming in through her open window. She had been so close to telling Sonic just how she felt and now she was back on Mobius again. She realized that she would never really be with sonic for longer than a few moments like this and tears swelled up inside as she trembled in sadness. She knew what she wanted and now was determined to have it.

For the second time today Sally threw on her clothes and rushed out of her hut and stumbled on her door sill as she slipped on her boots.

This time though she wasn't chasing after a ghost but running from the pain she felt in Knothole. She ran and ran into the night. She could feel her heart pounding hard inside her chest as she ran. She was a good runner and was in great shape but she was extreamly tired. She had slept more than a few hours in the last few days and it was weighing down on her. This kind of pain wasn't going to stop her though

She ran uphill panting and gasping for air. After every tree she past Sally saw Sonic asking,

"Where are you going?

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you doing this?" Until at last she made it to the grave site she had fallen in earlier in the morning. She looke at the stone that had Sonic's name on it. Tomarow people would be coming to say how much they missed him and telling stories about all the times they had shared together. They would all be standing over hallow ground that didn't hold a body and would be talking about someone who wasn't really gone. Sally knew he was alive somewhere in space and she could talk to him when she dreamed. She fell down to her knees and cried because she was ready to leave and she knew that her friends would miss her too. She kissed the inside of her fingers and place her paw on the loose dirt infront of her before standing again. She could hear the rush of water close by and wiped the tears away from her cheek before heading to the waterfalls lip fed the ring pool. It wasn't far.

She walked in silence thinking about all her friends and the many people in her home that she barley knew. She thought about her father whom had just been released from the void. But as she approached the cliff face all she could think about was Sonic. Sally stood at the waterfall's top just 3 steps away from the edge and couldn't stop the tears she had been fighting from rolling down her face.

"I can't take it anymore. When I'm awake I'm loosing my mind. I'm only happy when I dream. When I'm with you."

**Step**

"The war's over. They don't need me anymore."

**Step**

"We'll be together like we should have been. I love you."

Standing at the edge Sally closed her eyes and took the final step.

**End of Chapter**


	3. Revelations

Hey! I finally got the next chapter up. horay for me. I hope you like it, and as always please review. I mean come on it takes no more than three minuets to tell me how much my spelling sucks, or things of that nature. I always like constructive crticism, and any at all would be great. With that said I give you ch. 3

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**Without You Chapter 3  
Revelations**

**By: Dante40k**

She felt nothing, not the wind in her hair, not the slight tug of gravity that pulled her faster and faster toward the watery depths of the ring pool. It was like in her dreams, floating.

Sally felt the impact of the water but only for a second before the icy cold of the pool engulfed her.

What was next for her? Was there anything left? Not knowing if she were alive or dead the fallen princess opened her eyes but saw a bright light at the bottom of the pond that was warm and inviting. The radiant light started to pulse and just kept growing.

In a second it enveloped her and she was standing bone dry and completely naked. The realization of her nakedness was a sobering feeling for the princess. She desperately tried to cover herself as her arms instinctively bolted to her chest. Alone and embarrassed at her vulnerability Sally looked around at her surroundings. She was in a white hall built with ancient mobian columns stretching endlessly into a sky of light. Its grandeur was like nothing she had ever seen. Even the old halls of the palace of Acorn seemed plain compared to this.

"Where am I," she asked herself.

"Do you not remember child? This is the hall of Limbo, main portal to The Source." came a deep and royal voice that echoed off the walls and through her head. She hadn't actually heard it but rather felt it. Like a booming thunder deep within her soul and mind

Sally watched in amazement as a long white robe just as bright as the hall covered her perfectly from her neck to her feet, as if it had been made just for her. It's perfection was evident in it's stitching. A fine lace design that reminded her of a flowery meadow, not unlike the one just outside Knothole village was delicately woven into the hem. It was obvious the dress had never been worn.

The beauty of the dress had only occupied her thoughts for a moment longer when she recalled being introduced to The Source directly. It had promised to giver all knowledge of things to come and understanding of things that had already happened.

"But I gave up the power and knowledge of The Source."

"Once one enters The Source it never truly leaves them. It is a permanent fusion. Even if the recipient chooses to reject its gifts The Source remains with them to help direct the course of their future when needed. Do you know what you have done child? Do you have any idea of the consequences of your selfish actions," the royal voice asked in a rather harsh tone.

"I did what I wanted. I so desperately miss Sonic and I think it's time I had some gratification. I gave everything I had to restoring peace on this planet; my youth, my time, and even my love, whom I never got to share my feelings with," Sally responded, trying to justify her decision to and ancient and wise being that had advised her ancestors of untold generations.

"It's not fair. Why weren't we worthy enough to live happily ever after like in the fairy tales? Didn't we deserve it after all we did for Mobius? I just wanted touch him again, to really hold him." Whimpered Sally as tears began to roll down her cheek.

"My dear, the hedgehog is gone. He is farther away than you will ever be able to reach. Now your fool's desire has taken you too far away while the freedom fighters, your friends, and Mobius still need you.

"How can that be? Robotnik is gone. My father can lead the kingdom, and we finally achieved what we set out to do. I did my time as leader. Why would anybody need me anymore?"

"Do you really believe that? Because if you do then I have made a mistake in believing that you are important. But, if you are indeed Sally Alicia Acorn, the one who never gave up and lead a small group a teenagers to defy a warlord then you should know this. Mobius will be at risk much longer than you know and evil can never truly be destroyed."

With those words a bright flash of light blurred Sally's vision and she had to squint to keep from going blind. When the intense light died down Sally cautiously opened her eyes again. The white room had faded away and was replaced by the crumbling masonry of a ruined city. Also her dress was gone and instead she wore her normal blue vest and boots. The desolate city was dark and grey. Bombed out buildings and smog was all she could see in every direction. The sky was an odd mixture of grey, dark blues and an orange hue. Sounds of gun fire and screams filled the night air, or what Sally thought was the night air. Fires in the distance added to the strange orange hue of the sky as smoke billowed up from them. Sally just stood in the middle of a jagged street confused by the environment The Source had sent her to and disheartened by all the things the mysterious regal voice had told her.

"Where am I," she asked, for what seemed like the thousandth time that week.

"Watch child."

Moments later an active grenade tossed just beside her feet sent the princess ducking for cover behind an upturned segment of concrete. The explosion sounded with a deafening BANG and set the rubble ablaze. Sally looked up just in time to see a lamp post falling straight towards her hiding place and jumped out of the way before it smashed on the ground. Destruction seemed to encompass everything in the city and she felt scared like she hadn't been in a long time. Her instincts screamed at her to find shelter. She wasn't safe out in the open.

Sally quickly ran as fast as she could off of the street and into one of the crumbling buildings. She didn't much like her choice but knew it was better than being out in the street. Once she was safely crouched behind one of the walls that looked out into the street she peeked her head into what would have been a window and tried to scan the city better. Her eyes darted around the inferno and they came to rest on an old, worn down sign on a building across the street.

It was the Kingdom of Acorn's royal seal! Then Sally recognized the building. It was the royal bank. Then that made her shelter a laundry matt that she often saw Sir. Charles take Sonic to when he was only a boy. Could this burned down city possibly be Mobiotropolis she wondered aloud.

"It can't be. What's going on?"

While still in shock at the thought of her home city, which she had just recently won back from the clutches of the evil doctor Robotnik, in total ruin plagued the princess's mind a shadowy figure burst through the walls of flame surrounding the old laundry mat firing an old looking laser assault rifle commonly used in The Great War by the overlanders back into the fire from whence she came.

"Take that you metal bastards," shouted the very angry rabbit as she fired her riffle a few more times.

Sally noticed that the doe's shiny metal limbs were in stark contrast to her slightly tan fur coat. It was Bunnie, she couldn't have been more than a year or two older than she was when Sally had seen her just the day before, but she looked aged somehow; battle hardened and vicious.

Bunnie noticed the princess who was sharing her cover with her but didn't recognize her as Sally. She ducked down behind the wall Sally had propped herself up against.

"Hey, where is you rifle? You should never loose that gun.," whispered Bunnie to the princess. "Here take mine," Bunnie handed the blaster over to Sally and made a fist with her metallic hand. "I always did prefer a good old fashioned beat down any way."

"Looks like we got around twenty Swat bots covering out only exit and time's running out. We have to get to the power supply factory and shut it down or the other teams will be walking into even more trouble than the little fight we got here. Were you one of the ones outfitted with explosives?"

Sally Just looked at her friend in disbelief. They had never used guns in their raids before, why did the freedom fighters need them now; and why were they running around a destroyed Mobotropolis shooting Swatbots?

When Bunny got fed up with the dumbstruck squirrel she turned away and punched a few buttons on her wristwatch and held the inside of one of her ears. Bunnie began trying to contact someone through a communicator.

"Rotor. Rotor. Come in Rotor,"

_ghezzz_- Go ahead Bunnie –_ghezzz_

"I got a bunch a bots on my tail what-"

_ghezzz_- Wait, Bunnie my teams getting closer to the swatbot factory. If we are going to give alpha team the diversion they need to make a run on the command center we need the protection of darkness. How are you coming along? –_ghezzz_

"No, we got hit near Uncle Chuck's old hideout.," Answered Bunnie "We can get there but when we do you get to work. If Alpha team is going to finally take down Robotnik…"

"Robotnik! What are you saying? That Robotnik's back?"

Bunnie just continued to talk to Rotor over the commlink and ignored Sally. "Than you need to let the sparks fly."

"Answer me! Is Robotnik really back?" screamed Sally

"Bunnie, is Antoine with you? He had the spare codes to get into the bot factory. We lost our carrier," asked Rotor

Bunnie eyes started to water with pain as Rotor asked her the one question that she didn't want to answer. She closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek. "They got him Rotor. Those bastards got him…Ant's dead."

Sally's eyes widened in shock at the news of Antoines death. Bunnie and him had become so close over the past year and Sally wished she could have helped save him. Bunnie needed him just like she needed Sonic. Was this why The Source had chosen to show her this future? To prove that she had selfishly caused others the same pain of loss that she felt?

"Surrender in the name of Robotnik and prepare to be roboticized," came an all to familiar command from the mindless swat bots waiting outside.

Sally looked out the window to see a small battalion had amassed, loading their wepons and making ready to enter. One of them shined a floodlight on the building and spotted the princess. She quickly ducked down to warn her companion. She shook the rabbit as Bunnie just continued to relay information to Rotor.

"Warning. Annomoly spotted. Ready capture protocol 1."

"Bunnie," said the princess but no response.

"Bunnie! We have to get out of here on the double!"

"Alright, on the count a three we make a run for the bots. We break their lines and head for the power supply station," ordered Bunnie

"THREE!"

Bunnie ran out from behind the broken wall straight for the swat bots with sally right behind her. Sally cocked her rifle and began fiering into the crowd. Bunnie closed the gap between herself and the robots to punch a hole clean through the torso of one enemy with her metallic arm. She screamed in rage as she kicked the head off of another

Sally nailed one in the head and rolled to her left to avaoid incoming laser fire that just barely missed her. She regained her ballence and shot a few more rounds into another bot, ripping it in half along the waist.

The Swat Bots, sensing their vunerability at close quarters pulled back to better deal with the mad rabbit. Bunnie quickly ran after them to continue her ferocious onslaught. The robots fired their lasers as they moved to through their enemy on the defensive but Bunnie didn't care. She ran crazed towards them and Sally barley managed to watch as Bunnie took a shot in the side.

"Bunnie!" she shouted before throwing her gun to the pavement. She raced to Bunnie's position just as the doe stumbled to the ground. Sally grabed her arms and dragged her to a postal box for cover.

"Bunnie you're shot," said Sally trying to keep her friend protected from incoming fire.

"No it's nothing! Let go a me ya fool!" shouted bunnie and she threw her savior off her. Bunnie got to her feet and ran at the bots in a frenzie.

"FOR ANT!!!!!!" she bellowed as laser after laser cut into her flesh. Beyond all belief the rabbit kept moving and screaming. Sally screamed to her friend as the last laser entered her chest and she finally fell. Sally ran to the limp form of her best friend dodging shots as best she could until she got to slow and a lucky shot blasted through her leg and fell a foot away from Bunnie. The searing hot pain pulsated through her body until all else was pushed from her thoughts. She blacked out.

When Sally awoke she was chained to up with a few mobians against the wall in a large dark room. She looked around at the other freedom fighters standing side by side, all except for one. Bunnie's dead carcase was laying on the ground in front of the line a few meters away. She had already begun to stink and Sally had to cover her nose to keep from passing out again. Tears ran down her cheeks for her friend who would never again get up.

Sally mustered up the courage to pry her eyes away from the dead rabbit and take a look around. The room was lit by the eerie glow of computer screens flickering on and off. The sludge green walls were covered with pipes and grates where steam would billow into the room. In the center was an overly large electronic swivel chair turned away from the prisoners so Sally couldn't see who was in it. It was this piece of furniture that reminded Sally where she was.

Robotnik's command center looked like it did the last time she had been there when she was almost roboticized.

The large door that led into the command center slid open and a line of iridescent light flooded the command center, illuminating the chair. A guard of worker bots marched in a single prisoner and forced him to kneel in front of the chair.

Sally immediately recognized the prisoner. His two bushy tails that hung to the ground and orange fur could only belong to one person, and it killed Sally to see him here.

"Tails," Sally called out but then got a powerful backhand from a patrolling Swat bot.

His fur was duller than the vibrant color she knew and he was quite a bit taller than in her time. He also wore a brown vest and matching belt full of pockets. He had a somber yet proud look on his face that made Sally's heart break.

"Ha Ha Ha," came a sick booming laugh that filled the room and commanded every one but Tails to look at the command chair as it turned to face the young fox. In it say the grotesquely doctor whom Sally thought had been destroyed. Robotnik looked at his catch with frightening pleasure as a cruel grin spread across his face

"So here we are. The leader of the freedom fighters," he mused "At last."

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Authors Notes:

Well there you have it. I hope the cliffhanger is making you pee your pants in anticipation for the next chapter. if not well than thats okay too. When I first wrot this story the flash forward only lasted a few paragraphs. I really wanted to add more diolouge and emotional attachment. I think having the cliffhanger was a good idea even though cliffhangers always annoy me. I cant wait to post the next chapter but you have to review. I cant know what you think (should I even bother posting another chapter? I dont know) if you dont review.

Dante 40K


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